The Firebird's Lair

OSR fan. Hexcrawls. Simulationism which works at the table. Classic Adventure.

Firebird by rosinka (

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

What are we doing here, what "long-held perceptions"? People have been playing with good orcs for decades.

There could be an interesting take on it, but until we stop patting ourselves on the back just for having this soporific "subversion", we'll never see that.

[Fellowship of Fans 💍 @FellowshipFans]

[NEWS] “Marnûkh is a character meant to challenge long-held perceptions of Orcs. He’s such a departure from past depictions that within the production, Marnûkh has picked up the catchy nickname, “the Orc with an arc.”

#TheRingsOfPower

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Today's call to adventure: the cave monastery of Vardzia. A series of cells carves into a cliffside, situated just a few hundred meters from the Kura river.

Perhaps a former monastery, now claimed by several monsters? A bandits den? Or still used by a monastic order?

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

I get this criticism. But the literary precedents demand that swords be superior. What if spears were better but only swords could be enchanted? Then you see a guy carrying a sword by choice, and it's an event.

[Grand DM @Grand_DM]

I've always found it strange how poorly D&D treats spears. They were one of the most common and effective weapons in history, largely because reach matters in a fight.

Yet in D&D, the spear is generally an inferior weapon you discard as soon as you can afford a sword.

https://t.co/IpnLkhOFIL

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

One of the things BG1 does well--there is soft pressure but nothing really pressing. More recent games seem to give you a really pressing quest but then no deadline. It works but is not diegetic.

[franzi 🎃 @Killdeerrr]

this is the issue with any sorta "you're running outta time" narrative in open world rpgs imo, unless you're gonna actually punish the player for taking too long i think its better to not have this kind of story beat in a game

[carpen @giovni0]

This scene alone is better than all 3 sequels

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Icewind Dale is still on my list. Have it now, just need to make the time!

[Pre-Rendered Backgrounds Aesthetics @PRBG_Aesthetics]

Icewind Dale (2000)

Developed by Black Isle Studios.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

@fugitivehistor1 @nkvlands Fantastic work, I love the way these look!

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

@OldWorldHermit Has the nice benefit of keeping mechanics manageable. If it needs a computer, it's too much.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

@KevinLamb74 I am opposed to the abuse of backstory--players who override the GMs world or expect the GM to do tons of extra work to accommodate. With good players and a good group, there is nothing to fear.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Garrico is one of the less well done NPCs. Oops, I betrayed you...how about I join up?

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

This one has nice maps which can be used directly. It's dropping into my setting as a Moathouse variant, an early dungeon and a place the PCs can use as a base.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Today's adventure inspiration: The St. Catherine's monastery in the Sinai. A nice fortified redoubt, with a large chapel, and no doubt extensive dungeons beneath. Perhaps entering into the mountains, with a hidden entrance.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

The prequels were a last gasp for ambition of a certain caliber. For tragedy played straight, a belief in good and evil, in timeless stories, and in the power of the moving image. And my god, the shots!

These days, we get the navel gazing of The Odyssey and none of the heroics.

[doomer @uncledoomer]

part of the reason genZ has such fondness for the prequels is, unencumbered by the pretentious retardation of chungus millenials and gen X, they correctly assess them as flawless kino, but beyond that, they were the last time big budget movies were good

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Love to cook, would love to have the time for this but...no

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Just a great, kinetic intro. I like how the iron crisis ties into things the player is interested in--how to get metal armor and weapons.

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Hadn't realized these were switch games...and there is a sale. We are heading back to the Sword Coast!

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

First encounter...a wolf! Sounds like some easy xp

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

First encounter...a wolf! Sounds like some easy xp

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Einar the dwarf, NG. (Dwarf doesn't really make sense for the story based on timeline...I guess canonically it must be human, half orc, something like that? No matter).

[The Firebird's Lair @Firebirds_Lair]

Statline courtesy of the wife. We are going dwarf fighter/cleric. I love mixing melee and magic...always something to do, especially in the early game when mages lack stamina.